2013 season preview: Boston Bruins forwards

(Getty Images) Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand are just two of many talented forwards the Bruins are bringing back for the 2013 season

Over the course of the next two weeks we here at Bruins Daily will be getting you ready with everything you need to know for the 2013 National Hockey League season. Today we start with taking a look at the Bruins group of forwards.

Take away Beniot Pouliot—traded to Tampa Bay— and Brian Rolston,—restricted free agent— add Nathan Horton who was injured for the end of last season and the Bruins will hit the ice on January 19 with the same group of forwards that was defeated by the Washington Capitals in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals a season ago.

Last season we witnessed the coming out parties of Tyler Seguin and Brad Marchand. Seguin finished the season as the team leader in goals with 29. Marchand finished just one goal behind Seguin with 28. Chris Kelly registered a career high 20 goals, and Milan Lucic followed up his first ever 30-goal season with a 26 goal campaign. Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci were their typical selves last season as the two consistently racked up assists. Bergeron led the Bruins with 42 helpers. Krejci finished third with 39 assists.

When camp opens next week there will be one roster spot up for grabs. Due to an injury suffered while playing for the Providence Bruins, Jordan Caron will miss the first few weeks of the season which now opens up a spot on the wing with Chris Kelly and Rich Peverley. Providence Bruins forward’s Jamie Tardiff, (16-7-23) Chris Bourque (8-20-28) or Ryan Spooner (7-13-20) are the three guys most likely to be in the mix for the open roster spot.

A lot of eyes will be focused on Nathan Horton when camp begins. Horton skated in just 46 games a year ago and missed the remainder of the season after suffering his second concussion in as many years during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers last January. Horton’s agent has confirmed multiple times during the lockout that Horton is healthy and ready to get back on the ice.

Rich Peverley was well on his way to a career year, but a leg injury derailed any hopes of that as Peverley missed a good chunk of games in the middle of the season and only appeared in 57 games where he had 42 points. Look for Peverley and line mate Chris Kelly to continue the chemistry they found a year ago, no matter who is lined up alongside the two.

The Bruins “energy line” of Shawn Thornton, Gregory Campbell and Daniel Pallie will be back this year and will certainly continue their pesky agitating ways. Maybe will be lucky enough to once again witness a Shawn Thornton penalty shot.

With a shorted season it should come to no surprise when some of the guys suffer injuries, but luckily for the Bruins the team’s group of talented forwards also runs deep down in Providence. To go along with the previous named Providence Bruins forwards, guys like Lane MacDermid, Maxime Sauve, Craig Cunningham or Jared Knight could come up to the NHL and serve as capable fill-ins.

With just 48 games packed into a short amount of time, having tremendous depth at the forward position is a huge benefit for the Black and Gold.